Football practice device



April 4, 1939. M Z 2,153,384

FOOTBALL PRACTICE DEVICE Filed Oct. 21, 1937 INVENTORJ JUEEPH MHZZH Patented Apr. 4, 1939 PATENT OFFlCE 2,153,384 FOOTBALL PRACTICE. DEVICE Joseph Mazza, Des-Moines, Iowa Application October 21,

4 Claims.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a football practice device for use in tackling practice-thatsimulates the acts of a man runmng;

A further'object of this invention is to provide a football practice device that teaches coordinae tionand assists a football player in attaining accuracy.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a football practice device that can be used in a number of waysand that is capable of supporting one or more'practice dummies of varying characteristics.

A stillfurther object of this invention is'to provide a football practice device that is economical in manufacture, durable and efficient in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 7

My invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in. the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is'aside plan view of my device ready for use.

Fig: 2 is atop'pl'an view showing the various types and contours of track that may be used.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the track showing the roller arrangement for supporting the dummy.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged end sectional view of the track showing the method of placement of the roller assembly, more fully illustrating its construction.

In the training of men to play football, it is necessary to teach coordination, speed and accuracy. Heretofore, one of the methods of teaching this was to use a man running with the ball and allow another player to tackle him. This is dangerous and results in many needless injuries to football players. Especially are these injuries highly possible when the players or the squad is inexperienced and have not been toughened up 5 yet by hard training. Another method for training players in the art of tackling a man, is to suspend a dummy in a stationary position from a scaffolding. While this may help to toughen a player, it does not provide the needed practice acquired by using a moving object. The dummy can not weave and does not travel. Therefore, this method does not increase the skill and ability of the playerin a practical way. -I have overcome these disadvantages as will be appreciated and as more fully hereinafter set forth.

1937, Serial'No. 170,233

Referring to the drawing, I have used the. numeral III to designate upright pillars or posts which may be supported by the ground at convenient intervals. I have used the numeral I I to designate a rectangular frame work secured to and supported by the uprights or pillars Ill. The numeral I2 designates transverse cross bra'ces for aiding in the rigidity of the frame I I as shown in the drawing.

The numeral I3 indicates longitudinal dross 1'0 braces secured to the frame II and the braces I2 for increasing the rigidity of the structure. I have used the numeral I4 to designate a track secured to the lower side of the cross braces I2 and I3 and extending the longitudinal length of 15 the frame I I. This track I4 may be placed at an angle to the sides of the frame II as shown in Fig. 2. I have used the numeral I5 to designate a second track secured to the lower side of the frame II, the braces I2 shape as shown in Fig. 2. These tracks I4 and I5 are bent into a box form having their two ends or edge portions bent inwardly to form a track and thence upwardly to form a guide as. shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. It is within this track that the roller hanger assembly travels and which I will now describe.

Thenumeral I6" designates a framehaving rotatably mounted adjacent its end portions the rollers or wheels H as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. 30 Secured to the frame I6 and extending downwardly through the slot formed in the bottom of the housings I4 and I5 is a tongue I8. This tongue extends downwardly below the track and has secured thereto one end of a coil spring I9. 35 I have used the numeral 20 to designate a hook formed on the other end of the spring I9. I have used the numeral 2| to indicate a dummy of the conventional type which is constructed of canvas, leather or other durable materials and are filled with a suitable packing such as cotton, kapok, or the like. The numeral 24 designates shrouds secured to the head of the dummy and having attached thereto a ring 23. This ring 23 attached to their end portions of the shrouds 23 is designed to engage the hook 20 thereby supporting the dummy. Thus the dummy 2| is yieldingly supported by the frame I6, tongue I8, spring I9, and may be rolled along the tracks I I and I5 on the rollers I1. 50

I have used the numeral 24 to designate padded elements placed about the lower portions of each of the uprights ID to prevent inadvertent injury.

The practical operation of my device is as follows. The dummy is placed at one end of the 55 and I3, and of irregular 20' structure in a position approximately that shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The players or persons receiving practice may be at the other end of the frame work. The tracks l4 and I5 may be sloped slightly and all that is necessary is to give the dummy 2| a slight start manually and it will travel down the track of its own momentum in a very realistic manner. The players may then run from the other end and tackle the dummy as it moves. In the case of the track l5, the dummy will attain a weaving motion simulating a runner, thereby giving the players a greater amount of practice in accuracy and speed and more nearly simulating the actual playing.

Thus I have provided a football practice device which fulfills all of my objects, which simulates actual playing conditions and is of the utmost importance in promoting speed, accuracy and coordination in football practice. Obviously, any number of tracks may be supported by my frame Work and these tracks may be in any desirable shape or contour.

Somechanges may be made in the construction and arrangement of my football practice device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a horizontally 'disposed frame member, spaced apart, upright elements secured to said horizontal frame member for supporting said frame member at a substantial distance above the ground, a plurality of track members rigidly secured to the under side of said horizontal frame member, said track members being substantially square in cross section and having a slot opening extending down the lower surface its entire longitudinal length, a roller assembly supported within each of said track members andriding therein, a tongue secured to each of said roller assemblies and extending below said track and a tackling dummy yieldingly secured and suspended from said tongue on said roller assembly; said rollers rolling in said track members and carrying said dummies.

2. In a device of the class described, a horizontally disposed frame member, spaced apart, upright elements secured to said horizontal frame member for supporting said frame member at a substantial distance above the ground, a plurality of track members rigidly secured to the under side of said horizontal frame member, said track members being substantially square in cross section and having a slot opening extending down the lower surface its entire longitudinal length, a roller assembly supported within each of said track members and riding therein, a tongue secured to each of said roller assemblies and extending below said track members, a tackling dummy yieldingly secured and suspended from said tongue on said roller assembly, and a means for detaching said tongue on said roller assembly at times.

3. In a device of the class described, a substantially rectangular elongated horizontal frame member, upright pillars having their upper ends secured to said horizontal frame member for supporting it at a substantial distance above the earth, a plurality of track elements secured to the under side of said horizontal frame member extending its length and of irregular shape; a roller assembly operatively engaging and supported by each of said track elements, a yielding member having one of its ends secured to said roller assembly and extending downwardly below said track, a practice dummy and a means for detachably securing said practice dummy to said yielding means secured to said roller assembly.

4. In a device of the class described, an elongated horizontal frame member, uprights for supporting said frame member tance above the ground, a track member rigidly secured to the under side of said horizontal frame member; said track member being substantially square and having a slot opening down the lower surface of its entire longitudinal length, a roller assembly supported within said track member and riding therein, a tongue secured to said roller assembly and extending through said slot and below said track, a coil spring secured to said tongue and a tackling dummy detachably secured to said coil spring. e

JOSEPH MAZZA.

at a substantial dis- 

